One of the unique challenges of any manufacturing enterprise is valuation of its products and resources. In the case of product valuation, traditionally, prices are computed on the basis of a cost-plus measure and some measure of the ability of the customer to pay. Resources are conventionally valued in terms of prices paid for them, for example, the price paid for a machine used to make products.
In recent years, computer-implemented enterprise management tools have been developed to assist in management decisions. These tools often include pricing tools, intended to assist in the valuation process.
Notable among product pricing tools are those especially developed for airlines. These tools are not necessarily suitable for manufacturers. For example, material intensive manufacturers have limited materials (components) rather than capacity. In contrast, asset intensive manufacturers have limited resource capacity and demand may be serviced before desired. In both cases, probabilistic demand is not in a particular order for different prices, as is the case with airline travel.